Beethoven's Letters 1790-1826, Volume 1 eBook

FIRST PART.

Life’s joys and sorrows.
1783 To 1815.

BEETHOVEN’S LETTERS.

PART I.

1.

TotheelectorofCologne,
FrederickMaximilian.[1]

Illustriousprince,—­

Music from my fourth year has ever been my favorite
pursuit. Thus early introduced to the sweet Muse,
who attuned my soul to pure harmony, I loved her,
and sometimes ventured to think that I was beloved
by her in return. I have now attained my eleventh
year, and my Muse often whispered to me in hours of
inspiration,—­Try to write down the harmonies
in your soul. Only eleven years old! thought
I; does the character of an author befit me? and what
would more mature artists say? I felt some trepidation;
but my Muse willed it—­so I obeyed, and
wrote.

May I now, therefore, Illustrious Prince, presume
to lay the first-fruits of my juvenile labors at the
foot of your throne? and may I hope that you will
condescend to cast an encouraging and kindly glance
on them? You will; for Art and Science have ever
found in you a judicious protector and a generous
patron, and rising talent has always prospered under
your fostering and fatherly care. Encouraged
by this cheering conviction, I venture to approach
you with these my youthful efforts. Accept them
as the pure offering of childlike reverence, and graciously
vouchsafe to regard with indulgence them and their
youthful composer,

LudwigvanBeethoven.

[Footnote 1: The dedication affixed to this work,
“Three Sonatas for the Piano, dedicated to my
illustrious master, Maximilian Friedrich, Archbishop
and Elector of Cologne, by Ludwig van Beethoven in
his eleventh year,” is probably not written
by the boy himself, but is given here as an amusing
contrast to his subsequent ideas with regard to the
homage due to rank.]

2.

ToDr. Schade,—­Augsburg.

Bonn, 1787. Autumn.

Mymostesteemedfriend,—­

I can easily imagine what you must think of me, and
I cannot deny that you have too good grounds for an
unfavorable opinion. I shall not, however, attempt
to justify myself, until I have explained to you the
reasons why my apologies should be accepted.
I must tell you that from the time I left Augsburg[1]
my cheerfulness, as well as my health, began to decline;
the nearer I came to my native city, the more frequent
were the letters from my father, urging me to travel
with all possible speed, as my mother’s health
was in a most precarious condition. I therefore
hurried forwards as fast as I could, although myself
far from well. My longing once more to see my
dying mother overcame every obstacle, and assisted